Sympathy for the Devil
by Epershand
Summary: The Dark Lord has a plan to rise again, more powerful than before. But what happens when his simple plan goes so awfully wrong? His fully restored diary ends up in the hands of an almost matured Ginny Weasley and this time, she's ready for him.
1. Prologue

A/N – **SPOILERS RUN RAMPANT IN THIS FIC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**. I don't quite know what laws I am breaking by putting this excerpt from _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_ in here, but I hope it's none! All I have to say is that I don't own Harry Potter or anything that has to do with him. The excerpt is from the First American Edition of Chamber of Secrets, beginning on page 336 and ending on page 338. **I in no way, shape, form, or stretch of the imagination wrote the italicized portion between the lines, it came from the great mind of J.K. Rowling, it's only use in here is to set up a foundation for my story and plot line.** **PLEASE DON'T SUE ME!** Thanks a bunch! Reviews are always welcome.

* * *

Prologue

* * *

"_Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said Harry. _

_Lucius Malfoy rounded on him._

"_How should I know how the stupid girl got hold of it?" he said._

"_Because you gave it to her," said Harry. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"_

_He saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clench and unclench._

"_Prove it," he hissed._

"_Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you…"_

_Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he were longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house elf._

"_We're going, Dobby!"_

_He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him – _

"_Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary **back** to Mr. Malfoy, please?"_

"_Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember…"_

_Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. He could hear Dobby squealing in pain from around the corner. Quickly, wondering if his plan could possibly work, Harry took off one of his shoes, pulled off his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it. Then he ran down the dark corridor._

_He caught up with them at the top of the stairs._

"_Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you – "_

_And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand._

"_What the –?"_

_Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry._

"_You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too."_

_He turned to go._

"_Come, Dobby. I said, **come**."_

_But Dobby didn't move. He was holding Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking as though it were a priceless treasure._

"_Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."_

"_What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"_

"_Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby – Dobby is **free**!"_

_Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf. Then he lunged at Harry._

"_You've lost me my servant, boy!"_

_But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"_

_There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger._

"_You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."_

_Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight._

* * *

Lucius Malfoy hurried down the numerous stairs in the corridor and burst out the front door, almost talking out a line of Ravenclaw 1st years. A large, elegant, black carriage awaited his return at the bottom of the hill and Lucius stepped into so quickly that the footman did not even have time to open the door for him. The carriage started off with a rattle on the bumpy cobblestone road. 

Lucius fumed silently inside the carriage. His thoughts stayed glued to the events of the past few minutes.

"How dare he?" Lucius muttered to himself. "He'll get his one day… when the Dark Lord rises again he will be the first to go."

He found some consolation in this thought and quickly realized he still held the tattered and slimy diary in his hands. With some hesitation he opened it and flipped nonchalantly through the ink stained pages. Some of the entries had seeped up to the surface and would have been readable had it not been for the large blotches of ink and blood.

He pulled a white cloth with an elaborate embroidered 'M' surrounded by vicious snakes from the folds of his cloak and attempted to wipe the slime and blood from the old leather cover and tattered beige pages. The attempt was futile. In a rage Lucius tossed the diary across the carriage onto the plush, black velvet seat and vaguely wondered what on earth he was going to do with it.

* * *

**5 years later…**

* * *

It was just before dawn on a quiet summer morning in the village of Little Hangleton. The small town was not what it used to be, over the years the population had dwindled away and the tourists had lost interest in the once fascinating village. The sun was slowing peeking over the horizon behind a large, grand mansion which was silhouetted in the pure morning rays. The Riddle House, as it was still referred to by the townspeople, had always been a point of fascination to any traveler who had not heard of the horrendous events that took place there over a half century earlier. 

It was the small town's largest urban legend, for no one had ever really figured out the sequence of events that lead up to the demise of the Riddle family. Yet the house still stood as a reminder of the past. Some of its windows were boarded up, there were tiles missing from the roof, and the ivy had overgrown the weathered fence that surrounded the house. Despite all of this the house was still the grandest for miles around.

In a room on the second floor of the house sat a tall man with white, almost translucent, skin and piercing crimson eyes. He lounged in an antique, high back, leather chair facing the fire place where only a few flames still fought to burn. The remaining flames cast shadows over his supernatural face, making it appear to be porcelain instead of flesh, and his crimson eyes seemed to be suffocating the flames. The wallpaper that adorned the walls was now cracked and peeling, and the beautiful cherry wood floor was scratched beyond repair. Everything in the room seemed to be covered in an inch of dust and cobwebs hung ominously from the broken crystal chandelier. All of the windows were boarded up allowing only a few rays of sunshine to creep in. On the wall behind the antique chair hung an ornate gold mirror in which the glass was shattered.

Indeed the room was filled with many antiques and valuables but all were decomposing as though they had taken life briefly only to have it brutally snatched away by neglect. There was a small and timid knock on the door.

"Come in," ordered the man in a high pitched voice.

A small, balding man with watery, beady eyes opened the door halfway.

"My Lord," he spoke quietly, as though the sound of his voice would cause unspeakable wrath upon him. "She is here to see you, as you requested."

Voldemort folded his hands in his lap.

"Send her up, Wormtail."

Wormtail scurried out of the room in an extremely rat like manner.

A few moments later a tall woman in a dark cloak entered the room. She bowed respectively to Voldemort and only sat once he told her to do so. Silence hung for a few moments before he spoke again.

"I assume you know why you are here?"

Theshook her headand Voldemort continued.

"It has come to my attention that, while I am getting stronger, I might always be lacking in areas that once did not lack. I have realized that the peak of my power was most certainly in my younger years. I feel that if I could somehow fuse who I am now with a younger version of myself I might fully regain my powers and finally be able to accomplish my goal. The only problem I foresee is how would I accomplish this when the book the memory dwelled in is in ruins?"

Voldemort glanced at the woman as though awaiting an answer. When he received none, he continued.

"It is quite simple, I am annoyed with myself that I had not thought of it earlier, just repair the book. Lucius still has it in his possession, if he is wise he has not thrown it out. You are to retrieve the diary from him, have it repaired, and bring it back here to me. I assume that I will have it before this week is over… understood?"

The woman nodded and stood.

"It's good to be back, Master. I look forward to assisting you in any way I can." The woman said.

Something like a smile played upon Voldemort's face, "It's nice to have you back too, Bellatrix."

* * *

Bellatrix apparated into Lucius' study only moments later. He looked up from his desk. She lowered her hood to reveal her identity. Her ghost white face contrasted nicely to her raven black hair and midnight blue eyes. She had a rigid, pointed nose and a rough, square jaw line. Her beauty was that of a cold murderer without any remorse or hesitation. 

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" said Lucius.

"It's nice to see you too, Lucius. It's been such a long time in the making, I am here on business for our Master. I assume you still possess his old diary?" Bellatrix asked.

"Of course, but I fail to see what use it could have after what happened to it." Lucius leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.

"What, exactly, did happen to it?"

Lucius sighed.

"Well, let's just say that Basilisk fangs can do an impressive amount of damage when used to puncture things."

Bellatrix looked a bit puzzled.

"Regardless, I must leave here with that book." She said.

"Alright, follow me."

Lucius led Bellatrix down a long, twisting corridor and stopped in front of a large, carved oak door. He opened the door which made a horrific squeal on its hinges. Every candle in the room suddenly lit once they were inside and Bellatrix recognized the room immediately. She had been initiated into the Death Eaters in that very room, although now it looked much different. The walls were lined with books and oddities. The floor was covered with a thick layer of dust. Skulls and small gleaming contraptions littered the tables placed all over the room. Lucius led her to the back of the room to a wardrobe. He opened the wardrobe and began shuffling through the drawers.

It didn't appear to Bellatrix that anything in this wardrobe could be of importance to the Dark Lord. A few ancient Hogwarts school robes hung up and on the shelves were scattered awards and books. In the drawer where Lucius shuffled around were more books and dozens of rolls of parchment. He finally found what he was looking for and handed Bellatrix a small, black leather book.

Bellatrix ran her hand over the puncture wound in the cover of the book.

"A basilisk tooth did this?"

"Yes." Lucius replied.

"Thank you, Lucius, our Lord will be most pleased."

With that, Bellatrix disappeared with the same pop noise she had made when she arrived.

* * *

It was ten after eight when Bellatrix arrived in Knockturn Alley. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and made sure her face was hidden in the shadow of her hood. Not that anyone would recognize her, she had been incarcerated for so long that her face remained gaunt and her eyes even more lifeless than they had been. She passed a wanted poster with Sirius Black's picture on it and smirked in a most evil way to herself as the death of Sirius flashed through her mind. 

The alley began to narrow and at the dead end was a round, wooden door. She rapped on the door lightly and a small wooden slot opened. A pair of old and crazy eyes peered out at her.

"State your business." The voice was old and demanding.

"Now, Sumpter, is that any way to treat an old friend?"

Bellatrix lowered her hood and revealed her face to the old man. The small slot closed and the door swung open.

Bellatrix stepped inside a dimly lit little shop. There were eight or so cauldrons set up along the walls and seven of them were in use.

"Well, it has been a long time, Bellatrix Lestrange." Sumpter wheezed out.

"Yes, it truly has. About fifteen years? No matter, I am not here to take a trip down memory lane. I need you to fix this."

She thrust the diary in his direction and Sumpter caught it in one hand.

Sumpter flipped through the pages of the battered book, running his hands over the dried ink and blood.

"Basilisk venom?" He asked.

"Yes. This diary used to house a memory, and the memory was very powerful it was able to communicate with people through this diary. What I need you to do is restore it to that state, if not an even better one." Bellatrix stated.

"The potion I need to concoct for this is extremely lengthy and resource consuming."

Bellatrix handed him a velvet pouch of Galleons.

"I want it done today."

Sumpter looked at her, in serious thought.

"For a little extra I can have it done tomorrow morning…"

Bellatrix tossed another bag of Galleons his way and headed for the door.

"Nice doing business with you again, Bellatrix." Sumpter called after her, gleefully stuffing the gold into his pockets before getting to work.

Bellatrix arrived back at the same shop the next morning promptly at nine 'o' clock. She didn't even knock this time, but instead opened the door and stepped inside. Sumpter appeared from a back room.

"It is almost done, give me two more minutes." Then he was gone again.

Bellatrix wandered around the room observing each cauldron. They were all shimmering and one of them was producing a thick blue vapor.

"Done." Sumpter had arrived and he held the small black diary out to Bellatrix.

She grabbed it eagerly and flipped through the pages. They were no longer tattered and stained. She examined the cover and could find no traces of the puncture wound anywhere.

"Do you have a quill?" she asked Sumpter.

He motioned to a table in the corner of the room.

Bellatrix dipped the quill in a sufficient amount of ink and scribbled, _hello_, on the page. It sunk into the paper and Bellatrix eagerly awaited a response. Nothing was happening. She eyed Sumpter, thoroughly annoyed, she glanced back down at the page and saw, to her astonishment, sprawling cursive writing oozing from the beige paper.

_Hello. May I ask who is writing in my diary?_

Bellatrix smiled a smile that did not reach her eyes and exited the shop without another word. She placed the restored diary into the folds of her cloak and put her hood up to conceal her face. She came to the intersection where Knockturn Alley met Diagon Alley and noticed that it was getting quite crowded. Early bird witches and wizards were bustling about ready to get their business over with. Bellatrix attempted to blend in with the small crowd and in doing so she was immediately bumped into by an older wizard.

"So sorry." He muttered, not even looking up from his copy of The Daily Prophet.

Bellatrix's lip twitched in annoyance but she continued walking. She walked all the way up to the forest near the Shrieking Shack and paused in front of a large tree that was the victim of a lightning strike. There were three branches lined up in a row on the left side of the tree. Bellatrix lightly grabbed a hold of the very top one and felt a tugging at her navel. Instantly she was in front of the Riddle House in Little Hangleton.

Holding her chin high she entered the Riddle House and went straight to the second floor where Voldemort was sitting. She paused in front of the door and was preparing to knock when the familiar high pitched voice called out.

"Come in."

Bellatrix opened the door quickly and stepped in front of the fireplace.

"I assume you have been successful?"

"Yes, Master. I have and your diary is now better than it was at the time of its demise."

Bellatrix reached deep into the folds of her cloak and searched for the diary, but it was not there. She began to lose her composure and Voldemort eyed her irately.

"You do not have it with you?" He asked icily.

Bellatrix lowered her head, "No, I must have dropped it…" fear began to creep into her voice.

"Pity. Find it, and soon, my patience wears thin."

"Yes! Yes, Master, I will." Bellatrix got up quickly and went to the door.

Her hand was on the doorknob when she heard a quiet voice speak.

"Crucio."

The spell hit her hard in the back and she fell to the ground writhing in agony and screaming.

Voldemort stood from his chair and stepped over her on his way out the door, "Don't disappoint me next time."

* * *

Look at that **review** button! Doesn't it just look super tempting? 

Just a thought!

I don't usually continue if I don't feel that anyone is interested in where this is going… so… **please review**!!!!


	2. A lucky find?

**A/N –** YAY! You're back! Sweetness! The prologue kind of sucked but that's only because I needed to use it to set up the basics. Now that the basics are complete it should run _much_ smoother. This will be a Gin 'n' Tonic fic eventually, but it does have a plot and it won't be all fluffy and mushy.

* * *

_Please allow me to introduce myself_

_I'm a man of wealth and taste_

_I've been around for a long, long year_

_Stolen a many man's soul, and faith_

* * *

**Chapter 1 – A Lucky Find?**

* * *

Everything was perfect. Ginny Weasley was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and Harry was sitting next to her. He smiled at her and moved his large hand over her smaller one. Ginny looked up at him and blushed deeply. Everything was moving in slow motion except for her and Harry. Careless chatter floated in the air around them in a peaceful manner until the doors to the Great Hall were thrown open. An icy gust of wind swept through the hall putting all the candles out. Everything was pitch black, some students screamed, and then Ginny saw it. A pair of deep, crimson eyes burning like the sun in the depths of darkness. All the screaming had ceased and the students stared, as though mesmerized, at the pair of great, crimson eyes. Ginny felt Harry remove his hand from hers. He jumped out of his seat.

"IT'S _HIM_!" Harry cried. He whipped out his wand, prepared for battle.

"Avada Kedavra." Voldemort whispered.

He didn't even have his wand out. A jet of green light flew from Voldemort's fingertips and hit Harry square in the chest. His eyes widened, and he fell over. The expression on his face never changed. Voldemort snapped his fingers and every candle in the room blazed brightly. Hundreds of cloaked figures surrounded every table. The screaming began. Ginny was thrown under the table by Ron who was shouting out hexes and spells at an alarming rate. Different colored jets of light shot around the room like strobe lights. Ginny was in shock. She crawled along under the table and then stopped. Harry's dead body lay there, inches from her, with the same scared expression. Tears welled up in her eyes but she kept crawling, she was going to get out of the Great Hall alive, but first she wanted to find Hermione.

She peeked over the table and looked around. Dumbledore was being gunned down by fifteen to twenty Death Eaters. She saw no signs of Hermione or anyone she recognized. It was chaos beyond chaos. Students running, dead bodies all over the floor, food spilled everywhere. Ginny was just about to duck back under the table when a rough hand grabbed her shoulder. She screamed and was forced out of her hiding place by Draco Malfoy.

"I've found the filthy blood traitor, father." He said it as though he were doing nothing more than looking for an old sock.

Lucius Malfoy stood before her and then he spoke. "Breakfast."

Ginny looked up at him, confused. Draco shook her shoulder gently, _"Breakfast!"_

He was gradually getting louder, but now it was Mrs. Weasley's voicecoming fromDraco's mouth."Breakfast! Ginny, breakfast! **GINNY! BREAKFAST! _NOW_, GINNY!**"

Ginny awoke with a start. Her mother was leaning over her.

"C'mon, Gin. We have lots to do today." Mrs. Weasley bustled out of the room.

Ginny lay in bed, wide eyed. She had dreams often, but they always turned into nightmares. The one constant in her dreams were those eyes. She had never forgotten them; they pierced her skin like a thousandknives. She slowly dragged her tired body out of bed and into the bathroom across the hall. The Weasley's burrow was a maze in its own right. It consisted of six floors with seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, one very large kitchen, a medium sized sitting room, and a cellar. The rooms were arranged in a bizarre order and Ginny's bedroom was on the sixth and smallest floor. Her bedroom was an irregular shape, somewhat like an octagon with longer sides and a sloping ceiling. It was small but quaint. She had lucked out by being born last, her bedroom used to be a study that her father used, but it was changed into her bedroom once she was born. This entitled her to use the bathroom across the hall. Those were the only two rooms on that floor and Ginny enjoyed her privacy away from everyone else.

She pulled her short, trademark red hair into a ponytail and surveyed herself in the mirror. Ginny was not a common beauty like many other girls. She was very petite, barely five feet tall, and weighed 120 pounds. She had dreamed of being tall and skinny, the picture of teenage perfection, but the reality was that she was very short and muscular. She had deep, chocolate brown eyes and straight red hair. Despite all this, she was stunning in her own unique way. With a frown she hurried downstairs before her mother had a hissy fit.

She entered the kitchen and took a seat at her usual place by the window. The twins had already eaten and taken off to open their joke shop, _**The Weasley Wizard Wheezes**_. Mrs. Weasley nearly had a heart attack when they finally revealed their little secret, but she was well over it by now and realized that they were doing what made them happy. Mrs. Weasley poured Ginny a bowl of cereal and placed it in front of her. Ginny was the first one up, Mrs. Weasley always woke her up first. They liked to have little mother and daughter talks before the boys woke up, but this morning Mrs. Weasley was all nerves about getting all the school supplies for the children, so talk was limited.

"Your book list came this morning, dear."

Ginny glanced up from her cereal. "Yay." She replied with sarcastic enthusiasm.

Ginny was excited about starting her 6th year, but nervous about her classes she was going to have. Advanced potions frightened her the most. Snape, in general, frightened her. She continued to eat her cereal.

"It's so nice only having to buy two sets of books this year," Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Next year it will just be you, Gin." A few tears formed in Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "All my babies are growing up."

"It's okay, mum." Ginny said through bites.

"Yes, I'm just being silly I suppose. Oh! Good morning, Harry! Morning, Ron! Sit down and have a good breakfast, we have loads to do today."

Harry and Ron had entered and both sat down groggily in the rickety chairs. Ginny glanced up at Harry from her breakfast. He had grown extremely tall, and was no longer the gawky, lanky twelve year old boy she had first seen. His quidditch playing had built him a solid frame and his messy hair now seemed attractive rather than annoying. He eyed Ginny over his glasses and she stared right back at him. Ginny had turned into quite the sassy young lady. This was due to her brothers constant tormenting. She never picked fights, but if someone picked one with her, she would rise to the occasion. She wasn't afraid to speak to Harry anymore and even opened up to him a little. Needless to say, sparks had flown over the summer months. Ron noticed the pair's locked gaze and stomped on Harry's foot rather roughly under the table. Ginny looked away, but she still saw Ron mouth, _'THAT IS MY **SISTER**!'_ out of the corner of her eye.

"Well," Ginny broke the silence. "What time do you want to leave here, mum?"

"Very shortly, around nine I should say."

Ginny placed her dirty bowl in the sink and, with one last glance at Harry, hurried up the stairs to get ready for the long day ahead of her.

* * *

Roger Danfirth was just arriving at his used book shop to open when he noticed something rather peculiar. On the cobblestone, not far from the entrance to his store, lay a small, black leather book. He wouldn't have noticed it except for a gleam of gold caught his eye in the morning sunlight. He walked over and picked it up. It was a fine binding job, on the back a name was embossed in gold, _Tom Marvolo Riddle_. Assuming it was a journal; he opened it, but was shocked to find the pages empty. Mr. Danfirth opened his store and placed the blank book in the journal section. 

"Someone will claim it, or buy it." He chuckled to himself.

* * *

"HURRY UP, BOYS!" 

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were standing near the fireplace ready to leave. It was ten after nine. Mrs. Weasley tapped her foot impatiently.

"WE ARE LATE."

Harry and Ron sprinted down the stairs mumbling apologies. Moments late they all arrived in Diagon Alley.

Harry made his way to Flourish and Blotts to purchase his supplies while Ron, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley headed off to Danfirth's Second Hand Book Shop. Ginny scanned the potions section for the book she would need, her list was a mile long this year and she worried about how her parents were going to afford all the supplies she would need. A half an hour later she had every book she could possibly need to enhance her knowledge of the wizarding world. It seemed like she carried the whole store in her arms as she plopped the books down on the counter to be rung up.

Ginny meandered around and the journal section caught her eye. None of them seemed to jump out at her, but as she turned to walk away she felt a tug in the pit of her stomach and had to look back. A handsome, black leather journal screamed out for her attention. She reached out for it and it almost seemed to burn her slightly as she touched it.

_'This is nice. It's in very good shape…'_ Ginny thought to herself.

She ran her fingers over the rich leather; she turned it over in her hands to check for any tears or scratches. That's when she saw it. Her breath caught in her throat and she froze. Tom Marvolo Riddle. The name stared at her as though it could see her.

"No… it can't be…" She had a flashback of the diary as she had last seen it, bloody and with a huge gaping hole in the cover. Ginny looked around nervously. She put the journal back down quickly and almost ran from the store, but then a thought stopped her.

'What if someone else picks it up? What if it's some poor first year… just like me? What if he uses them… like he used me?'

Ginny still hesitated.

_'What if….. I could fix everything…. Stop him before he ever got really strong…'_

In that moment, Ginny changed her life forever.

* * *

Sorry this is so short and pretty sucky! It's going to pick up as soon as I get past these boring introduction chapters. I just really wanted to get this one out of the way so I can get into the plot. It looks like this is going to be a pretty long story. 

**_REVIEWERS GET COOKIES!_**


	3. The best of intentions

**A/N –** Sorry this took so long to get out. I have a term paper due soon and I have been busting my ass to get that done as well as making my SENIOR SCHEDULE! OH YEA! **2006!** Anyway, I love you guys! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it's going to slow down now that (most of) the basics are out of the way. Thank you to all my reviewers!

**EclipseKlutz –** Thank you!

**Ruinsul -** Here's your cookie-)

**JoJo –** Thank you! I always hated when fics just jumped right into the story, it's nice to have those few intro chapters to get everything laid out.

**Ladyjynx –** Thank you so much! I am really glad to hear that I am keeping the characters true to themselves. Sometimes while I am writing a character they will seem as they should be, but once I go back and do my revising I find that they might be so far off it is horrible! It's really reassuring to hear a reviewer say that the characters are staying true.

* * *

**_I was around when Jesus Christ  
Had his moment of doubt and pain  
Made damn sure that Pilate  
Washed his hands and sealed his fate..._**

* * *

"_No… it can't be…" She had a flashback of the diary as she had last seen it, bloody and with a huge gaping hole in the cover. Ginny looked around nervously. She put the journal back down quickly and almost ran from the store, but then a thought stopped her._

'_What if someone else picks it up? What if it's some poor first year… just like me? What if he uses them… like he used me?'_

_Ginny still hesitated._

'_What if… I could fix everything… Stop him before he ever got really strong…'_

_In that moment, Ginny changed her life forever._

* * *

Ginny looked longingly at the leather diary in her hands. She ran her small, nimble fingers over the cover and thought of all the ways she could save lives. She put the diary under her arm, marched up to the counter and pushed the book in between all of her school books. 

"You have everything, Gin?" Ron asked.

Ginny hesitated before replying, "Yes."

The elder wizard at the register rang them up and they were off again to finish the rest of the school shopping. Ginny grabbed both bags of books before Ron even finished paying and hurried out the door. She quickly tucked the diary into the pocket on the inside of her robe and continued down the street. Ron came out of the shop right after her.

"Slow down, Gin!"

He caught up with her and they walked the rest of the way to a small ice cream shop near _Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions_. Both took seats at a small table outside.

"What flavors would you like?" Ron asked.

"Hmm… cookie dough and caramel." Ginny grinned. She loved ice cream and those were her favourite flavors.

Ron went inside to buy the ice cream, leaving Ginny all by herself at the table. The last few minutes seemed like a strange dream to Ginny. It was still hazy in her mind and she reached for the diary in her robes to make sure it was real. Her hand brushed the soft leather. It was real. She sucked in a deep breath and supported her weight on the back two legs of her chair.

'_What am I doing? I could be putting everyone I love in danger… I could really mess this up if I don't think it through…' _

"Hey!"

"Ahhhhhh!" Ginny was startled out of her thoughts so quickly that she lost balance and toppled over backwards onto the cobblestone.

"Oh, God! Ginny! Are you okay! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

Harry had wrapped one strong arm around her waist and was pulling her, and her chair, back into an upright position. Ginny massaged the large bump forming on her forehead and glanced at Harry's apologetic face.

"It's okay! I'm alright, just a bit of a bump on my head." Ginny grinned.

Harry leaned in, "Let me see. I am so sorry, Gin!" His fingers probed the growing lump on her forehead gently. He was so close; Ginny could smell his aftershave, a mix of fresh air and ocean. It was intoxicating.

"Ahem."

Ron had returned with the ice creams. He shot Harry a warning glance while handing Ginny her waffle cone.

"Get all your shopping done?" Harry asked them.

"Mmmm hmmm." Ron managed to get out between bites of his triple chocolate ice cream.

Mrs. Weasley appeared with a small pop. She looked a bit frazzled and was holding two very large packages.

"Sorry I'm late dears; had something to pick up." She plopped down into the closest chair and sat the packages on the ground next to her.

"What is that, mum?" Ginny eyed the packages.

Mrs. Weasley beamed, "Well, since I only had to buy for you and Ron this year, I thought I would save up for something a little extra for each of you. I've been saving all summer, and, well… here! Just open them!"

She handed each of them one of the large packages and they both tore into them eagerly. Ginny was interrupted from opening hers by a loud shriek of excitement from Ron.

He jumped out of his seat clutching a broomstick in his hand. Not just any broomstick, a Nimbus 2000. Not the newest model on the market, but much better than his old Cleansweep.

Ginny was excited now; she had expected it to be something dull like a new cauldron, but at the sight of Ron's present her anticipation grew. Inside her package was lots of pastel colored tissue paper. She pushed the paper aside.

"Oh…" her breath caught in her throat.

Ginny pulled out a long emerald green gown. It had a strapless corset-like top that came down to a v point and an elegant full ball gown skirt with a three tiered bustle on the back that swept the floor in a small train. "Mom!" She placed it against her petite figure and smoothed the silk with her hand. A gleeful giggle escaped her lips and she twirled around.

Mrs. Weasley watched her only daughter with tears in her eyes, "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Ginny giggle again before gently folding it up and placing it back in the box.

Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together, "Fantastic! Well, it is getting late. Harry, dear, have you finished all of your shopping?" Harry nodded. "Brilliant, we'll be going now then."

Ron was still admiring his new broom.

"Come along, Ron!"

* * *

"YOU ARE GOING TO MISS THE TRAIN!" 

Ginny was seated at the table downstairs eating toast. She winced as Mrs. Weasley screeched up the stairs to Harry and Ron who would not get up.

"Stayed up all night riding that damn broom… should've waited to give it to him until this morning… talked about it all night… too excited to sleep…" Mrs. Weasley muttered to herself as she stomped around the kitchen doing various tasks.

Ginny exited quickly when she saw the boys were coming down; she didn't want to get caught in the middle of her mother's wrath. Upstairs in her room Ginny was packing quickly, shoving her robes and books into her trunk, but carefully laying her dress in there. She grabbed her cloak she had worn the previous day and was about to throw it in there when she remembered the diary. She had forgotten about it. Maybe it had been a dream? She searched the inside pocket of her cloak and found it. Exactly where she had left it. The leather seemed to burn in her hands with welcome as she picked it up. She opened it and found that the pages were blank, just as she had remembered them to be.

"Ginny?" Harry called from behind her closed door.

"Just a second!" Ginny stashed the diary in between her robes in her truck and slammed it shut. "Come in!"

Harry entered her room. He was looking quite disheveled and Ginny could hear Ron being yelled at by Mrs. Weasley all the way in the kitchen. His hair was messier than usual and only half of his shirt was tucked into his pants. His socks didn't match and his glasses were hanging a little crooked on his handsome nose.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked.

"Yea… we're getting ready to leave. Your mom told me to come up here and make sure you're ready… so we're not late…"

Ginny was still staring at his disheveled appearance.

"Right… well… I'll just be going…" Harry blushed and left.

* * *

Twenty minutes later two Weasley children and Harry Potter were racing through the crowd at King's Cross to make their train. Ron was pushing the trolley with his and Ginny's trunks on it while Ginny carried the cage with Pig in it. 

"Ron! Slow down!" Harry called out.

"Can't! We'll miss the train!" Ron charged straight for the barrier to Platform 9 ¾ and came out on the other side. The Hogwarts Express was already steaming.

**_"WAIT!"_** Ron cried out to the conductor.

"Hurry up there, kids. You're lucky, one minute later and you would have been left here on your own!"

The trio clambered onto the train and were instantly greeted by an impatient Hermione.

"Hermione!" Ginny shrieked and embraced her best friend in a tight hug.

"It's about time you all got here! I managed to save us a compartment, come on now, we're already moving, and someone might have taken our spot." Hermione said with a particular glare at the boys.

"How was your summer, Mione?" Ginny asked.

"Oh! Ginny! It was wonderful! My parents and I went to America! It was so neat, and so different. Los Angeles is just fantastic! I loved it… I think I might want to move there after this year, but I'm not sure, the wizarding world over there is so bizarre. Not at all like here. I might not fit in. Well, it's a while away still, I'll think more about it later I suppose."

They reached their cabin and were relieved to find that it remained unoccupied. Ginny sunk into the cushion of the bench seat opposite Hermione and Ron. Harry sat down next to her.

"So… how was everyone's summ-" Before Hermione could even finish asking her question Ron had jumped up and grabbed his trunk. He quickly pulled out his Nimbus 2000.

"LOOK!" He held it out to show Hermione.

"Ron! Where on earth did you get that!"

"Mum got it for me! A last year in school kind of present!" He beamed.

"I got something too!" Ginny piped up.

Just then the door to their compartment slid open. Draco Malfoy's large frame loomed in the doorway. Over the years he had grown quite handsome. He was tall and well built from his years of quidditch. He had his trademark white-blonde hair, and cold blue eyes that could almost cast a layer of frost upon any who saw them.

"Well… well… what do we have here?" Draco sneered; he eyed Ginny with an almost hungry look.

Ginny squirmed in her seat uncomfortably. Draco's eyes seemed to undress her. Harry noticed her discomfort.

"Enjoying the view?" He growled.

Draco smirked, "Why, yes, actually I am."

He moved closer to Ginny, his expression unchanging.

"Seems as though the youngest weasel has matured quite a bit over the holiday."

He reached out and tipped Ginny's chin upwards until their eyes met. Fire burned in Ginny's eyes.

"What do you say, Weasley, care to join me in my compartment for a _good time_?"

Ginny's eyes widened and her face flushed in anger. In one swift movement Ginny's fist connected with Draco's jaw and her knee landed hard in his groin. Draco fell over and wailed in agony. Harry and Ron hadn't even had time to react.

"Don't you ever insinuate, ever again Draco Malfoy, that I would ever want any part of your body touching any part of mine." Ginny stated icily.

Draco stood silently and limped out of the compartment, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh! Gin! That was brilliant!"

Ginny smiled and sat down; a few of her knuckles were bleeding. Harry and Ron still stared at her in shock. She turned to Ron.

"Thanks a lot for just standing there while that asshole propositioned me. Nice job, big brother." Ginny glared.

Ron kept spouting on and on about his broom to Hermione who looked as though she would have enjoyed double potions with Snape more than Ron's rambling.

Harry noticed the small trickle of blood coming from Ginny's knuckles.

"You're bleeding."

Ginny glanced at her hand, "I'm fine."

"Not really." Harry reached into his trunk and pulled out a handkerchief. "Let me see."

He grasped Ginny's tiny hand in his own large one and gently wrapped the handkerchief around her knuckles to stop the bleeding. His hand lingered on hers for a moment too long.

Ginny blushed, "You do know that it would have been much easier to use a spell…?"

Harry turned a deep shade of crimson. "Oh… I didn't think about that. I guess I was going for the chivalric action there."

Ginny smiled, "Chivalry is good."

The train was beginning to slow.

"Looks like we're here!" Hermione practically jumped at the chance to get away from Ron's incessant talk of his Nimbus. "Come on, Gin, let's catch up!" Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her out of the compartment and off the train.

"I had to get away! How could you stand that all summer!"

"I lucked out; mum gave the broom to him yesterday so I've only had to listen to it for a day. He kept Harry up all night just talking about their brooms. It makes me really glad I have a bedroom on the highest floor!" Ginny laughed. It felt good to be back.

* * *

"Welcome!" Dumbledore's voice boomed above the students in the Great Hall silencing them at once. 

"Welcome back to all of the returning students, and to the first years, I hope you will enjoy your first year here. Well, I do believe I have taken up enough of your time. Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore clapped his hands together in delight and mountains of food appeared on the four house tables.

"Harry?" Ron grabbed Harry's attention.

"Yea?"

"Do you have a thing for _my sister_?"

Harry looked stunned, "Do I have a _thing_ for Ginny! Why on earth would you ask me something like that!"

"Every time I see you guys you are always making eyes are her! You _fancy_ Ginny!" Ron exclaimed.

"I most certainly do not!" Harry shot back.

"Hmm… whatever you say Harry, whether you do or don't just remember one thing, you are my best friend, and she is my little sister." Ron warned.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Ron, trust me on that one."

* * *

"Well? Has it been located yet?" Voldemort asked impatiently. 

Wormtail cowered in the shadows, "No… my Lord… we cannot find it. We don't know where it might be – or who it might be with." He stuttered.

Voldemort tapped his fingers on the leather armrest impatiently. He was beginning to lose his cool. He stood very quickly, knocking over the high back leather chair in which he had been seated. He rounded on Wormtail, his eyes blazing with fury.

He spoke very softly. "You mean to tell me that I command a group of highly organized, murdering, magically gifted Death Eaters… and not a single one can locate a simple book?"

Wormtail cringed, "Ye-yes… my Lo-Lord."

"Wormtail?" Voldemort asked softly.

"Ye-yes?"

"If I were you, I would run." Wormtail leapt from his spot in the shadows and took off down the hallway. "Although… I doubt it will do much good. Crucio." A sinister smirk crossed Voldemort's snake like face as he heard Wormtail land with a thud on the cold stone floor and begin screaming in agony.

Ginny sat in the 6th year girls' dormitory on her large four poster bed. She had drawn the curtains and laid there on her stomach staring at the leather diary before her. It was the book she had seen so many times in her dreams and nightmares. So many times since her first year she had wished she could go back in time; just change how she handled things. She told herself she would have never written in that diary. She wouldn't ever have trusted it. For years Ginny beat herself up over it, the "what ifs" constantly haunted her. What if she hadn't encountered Mr. Malfoy in Flourish and Blotts? What if she had never written in that diary? What if she hadn't trusted Tom so much? What if she had disposed of the diary properly? All of these questions would never get an answer, because time travel was a dangerous thing and could severely impact the future.

Now things were different. The diary was repaired. This meant that Ginny could try to stop things from ever getting so bad. She had an idea. A crazy, out of this world, almost impossible idea. It might work, but that all depended on the memory preserved in the diary, and how much, if anything, it remembered of their last encounter. Ginny reached into her bag and pulled out a small ink bottle and a quill. She chewed on the end of her quill thoughtfully.

'_If Tom never changed into Voldemort… then all of the people who have been killed or demented as a result of his change would still be alive.'_

Images of Voldemort's victims raced through her mind. Harry's parents, the Longbottoms, Cedric Diggory, and, most of all, Sirius. Ginny's quill hovered over the page, she couldn't possibly think of how what she was about to do could be a bad thing, but she still had her doubts.

'_I'll have to do some more research on the consequences of interfering with the past.'_

Ginny moved her hovering quill, and one solitary drop of ink slipped off the tip of her quill and landed in the center of a smooth,ivory page.

Ginny's eyes widened and she dropped her quill. "Oh God… what have I done?" She whispered.

She waited and still nothing came, _'Maybe it doesn't work anymore…'_

Then she saw it, sprawling ink oozing from the paper and taking readable shape.

_Hello. Is anyone there? I do hope so, for I am so lonely…_

* * *

**REVIEW!**

Personally, I find this to be another horribly awful chapter, but I am my worst critic. As long as you guys are satisfied that's what counts, I suppose.

Reviews make me smile!


	4. I think I'm losing my mind

**A/N –** I didn't get many reviews on the last chapter… hmm… I'm hoping there is still some interest in it! Here's chapter! I like this one much, much better than the previous ones. It was a lot of fun for me to write!

* * *

**Pleased to meet you  
Hope you guess my name  
But what's puzzling you  
Is the nature of my game**

* * *

Ginny moved her hovering quill, and one solitary drop of ink slipped off the tip of her quill and landed in the center of a smooth, ivory page. 

Ginny's eyes widened and she dropped her quill. "Oh God… what have I done?" She whispered.

She waited and still nothing came, _'Maybe it doesn't work anymore…'_

Then she saw it, sprawling ink oozing from the paper and taking readable shape.

_Hello. Is anyone there? I do hope so, for I am so lonely…_

* * *

**Chapter 3 - "I Think I'm Losing My Mind..."**

* * *

Ginny's eyes stared at the page in sheer repudiation. The writing disappeared by sinking back into the page as slowly as it had formed. It was immediately replaced by another question. 

_Hello? Please, if someone is there, do write something… anything!_

Ginny slammed the diary shut before the ink even had time to dry. She threw the diary under her pillow and lay down. Her breathing was coming in short, shallow gasps of air, and her heart was racing so fast she thought it might burst from her chest. Sleep came easy to her and within minutes she was in a place that had haunted her for years.

* * *

It was dark, everything was so dark. 

"Tom?" An eleven year old Ginny Weasley called out in the darkness. "Tom? Where are you? I'm scared, Tom…"

A tall figure seemed to move from the shadows and take the form of a handsome young man. It was still quite difficult to see him, his clothes and hair blended very well with the foreboding scenery all around. All that could be easily seen of him was his porcelain like skin and deep sapphire eyes. He looked like a real person, but a little more transparent than any human should be. A soft hand grasped Ginny's shoulder.

"Don't be afraid, my little angel." He caressed her cheek, "Everything is going to be perfect now."

"Where are we?" The apprehensiveness remained in Ginny's voice.

"We are in the Chamber of Secrets. It's magnificent, isn't it?" Tom glanced at Ginny warningly as though daring her to speak otherwise.

"I… I suppose so. It's awfully dark…" Ginny cowered under his heated gaze, "Why are looking at me like that?"

Tom moved closer to Ginny who began to back up. She tripped on a large crevice in the floor. Tom still advanced on her. Ginny stood up and ran as fast as she could, she had to find a way out. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Tom wasn't following her. Maybe she had lost him? Ginny turned her gaze back to her path and screamed. Tom was standing right in front of her. Before she had time to turn and run the other way he had grabbed her arm roughly.

"Where do you think you are going, angel?"

"Tom! Stop it! Let me go! You're hurting me!" Tears formed in Ginny's innocent chestnut eyes.

Tom backed her up against a wall. He towered over Ginny by at least a foot and was immensely stronger than the eleven year old girl was.

"Shhh… don't cry." He reached down and wiped the tear trails from her flushed cheeks. He leaned in until his forehead touched hers. "I promise this won't hurt a bit, you have been such a help to me, you can't even understand. You won't have died in vain, angel."

Tears flowed freely from Ginny's eyes. "You lied to me. You tricked me and you lied to me."

Tom laughed a laugh laced with mockery and venom. "Silly little girl." He let go of Ginny and sauntered away towards the statue of Salazar Slytherin.

An uncontrollable rage filled Ginny's petite body. She picked up a stone near her feet and hurled it with all her might at the retreating Tom Riddle. It hit him square in the back of the head. He froze in mid step.

"YOU'RE A _LIAR_!" Ginny screamed at him.

Tom turned slowly around. His eyes blazed vehemently and an aura of rage seemed to radiate from him.

Ginny was not fazed at all. "You are a _liar_!" She hissed again. "_You_ are a liar and a _fake_! I _HATE_ YOU!"

Tom moved so fast that Ginny did not even have time to register his movement, one moment he was a few feet away, and the next he was right in front of her. He grabbed her arms fiercely and lifted her up, scraping her back against the rough stone wall. His fingers were cutting off the circulation in her arms and she felt her back bleeding lightly from the scrapes but she did not care. Ginny's fierce stare never left Tom's equally vehement one.

"Don't you ever, **_EVER_**, speak to me like that. You have no idea who you are messing with." Tom spat out. "It's time for you to go now."

Ginny looked hopeful for a second. Was he going to let her go? He placed her feet back on the ground, but did not loosen his grip on her arms.

"Where…" Ginny hesitated slightly, if he was going to let her go, she didn't want to infuriate him even more and make him change his mind. "Where am I going?"

"I'm not sure, I've never been…" Tom trailed off.

Ginny looks anxious, "Been… what…?"

A cruel smile crossed his face, "Been dead."

"No! Tom, please! I thought you were going to let me go! I can't die… I'm so young. What about my family?"

"Your parents have six other children; I doubt they will miss you. They would probably welcome the loss; it might give them more money." He sneered.

Ginny sank to her knees and broke down into tears in a heap on the slimy floor of the Chamber. Tom kneeled next to her and wrapped his strong arms around her tightly. Ginny squirmed.

"Shhh… it's time." He turned her face towards his and moved closer.

"No…" Ginny tried to resist but she couldn't. She could not look away from his eyes.

"Don't resist, angel, this won't hurt a bit."

Tom's lips met Ginny's and he kissed her hard. Ginny felt as though she were in a dreamlike state, just slipping off to a peaceful sleep. Tom was draining the energy from her and he began to appear more solid. He laid her down and her eyes were still open, but she lacked the energy to close them.

"Goodnight, my sweet angel." Tom gently brushed her eyelids closed, but one tear was able to escape and slide down her cheek.

* * *

Ginny shot up like a rocket in her bed. Her tear filled eyes darted wildly around, absorbing her scenery. She let out a deep breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. This was not the first time she had dreamt the events she had lived in the Chamber, but it was the most real. Ginny calmed herself down and fell into a dreamless sleep for the remainder of the night.

* * *

"Ginny! You are going to be late for your first day of classes!" Hermione pulled her bed curtains open and bright rays of sunlight shined right in Ginny's eyes. She moaned groggily and pulled the covers over her head. 

"C'mon! Up! Now! Breakfast! School! Clothes! GINNY! NOW!"

"You sound like my mum…" Ginny groaned and rolled out of bed. "I'm going, I'm going…" She dragged herself to the 6th year girl's bathroom and into the shower.

The cold water woke her instantly, all the hot water had been used by the early risers, and Ginny was usually one of those early risers. She greatly enjoyed a nice, hot shower, but this morning there was no such luck. Ginny stepped out of the shower shivering and grabbed her red and gold Gryffindor bathrobe that had her name embroidered on the front left. She combed her hair in the mirror and grabbed her school robes she had sat on the counter near the sink. She changed hastily and was about to put on the long black robe over her skirt and blouse when something on her arms caught her eye.

Ginny leaned closer in the mirror and saw that her arms had bruises on them. She looked closer and saw that the bruises resembled finger marks.

"Where on earth…" but she stopped mid sentence. A vision of Tom gripping her arms hard and holding her against the wall of the Chamber passed through her mind. "No… it was just… it was just a dream!"

Disturbed by what she was seeing she flung her black robe over her shoulders and took off to the Great Hall. Most of the students were already heading off to their classes when Ginny burst into the Great Hall.

"Morning, Gin!" Harry greeted her.

Ginny grabbed a bagel, slathered honey over it, and stuffed it halfway in her mouth. "Morning, Arry! Gotta run!"

She raced down to the dungeons; she had potions first thing with the Slytherins. That seemed to happen to her every year. She was about sick of it. Ginny had been placed in the advanced potions class to prepare her for the NEWTS; unfortunately, Draco Malfoy had also been placed in the same class for he had failed it the previous year and needed to retake it to gain any credit for it. He was the only 7th year in the class. Ginny wasn't worried; he might not be so cocky without his goons around to back up his talk. She took a seat next to Colin Creevy. He was a bit of an airhead at times, but he must've known something about what he was doing to get in the advanced class. Draco eyed Ginny hungrily across the room. She glanced in his direction and he licked his lips invitingly. Ginny rolled her eyes and ignored him completely.

'_What a man-whore…'_

Snape entered the classroom and all talking ceased. He dropped his books onto his desk with a loud thud.

He looked around skeptically for a few moments, "This is not going to be an easy class. For those of you who are sitting there thinking that just because you understood the last few years of potions means that you will breeze through this year, you are dead wrong. Many of you may even fail this class," he paused here and shot a look at Draco who seemed thoroughly annoyed. "You will have homework in this class every night; don't ever expect not to have homework. _Especially_ over the weekends and holidays." The class groaned. "Come to class prepared everyday, not being prepared will result in a detention as well as a deduction of house points. We are starting a potion today; I trust you all have your cauldrons?"

Murmurs went through the room and a few students looked troubled. Ginny pulled her cauldron from under the table and sat it on the iron burner.

"Turn to page 70 in your books and follow the instructions." With that, Snape sat down at his desk and left the class to themselves.

"Well," Ginny looked at Colin, "looks like this is going to be a fun year!"

Colin laughed at her sarcasm. "I will read the instructions to you and you put the ingredients in, deal?"

"Alright." Ginny agreed.

"Is the water boiling in the cauldron?" Colin asked.

Ginny peeked into the cauldron, "Yes."

"Great, then we can start. Measure ten ounces of gulfweed and four ounces of snarlwood. Place them in the glass bowl and grind them until they have formed a fine dust."

Ginny was following the instructions Colin read off to her exactly.

"Be sure that the water is boiling, and then sprinkle the ground up gulfweed and snarlwood, two ounces at a time, over the surface of your boiling water."

Ginny sprinkled carefully, two ounces at a time.

'_I am so bored…' _

She glanced around the room nonchalantly while sprinkling. Colin was still reading instructions, but his voice sounded distant. A Slytherin boy sitting in the far corner of the room caught her eye. She had never seen him before. His head was craned over the open book in front of him, his face hidden in the shadows. There was something about him, what was he doing here? A new student, perhaps? The boy looked up, directly into Ginny's stare. Ginny gasped, dropping the remaining crushed gulfweed and snarlwood into the bubbling potion. None other than 16 year old Tom Riddle was staring her down. A small smile graced his lips and his sapphire eyes twinkled with untold secrets. Ginny felt like she was hyperventilating. The classroom around her was hazy and the voices seemed eons away from wherever she was.

"Ginny!"

Colin lunged for Ginny, knocking her off her stool and sending them both toppling to the floor. Just in time, too, for their cauldron bubbled over and then exploded violently. Colin dragged Ginny under their table and many other students in the room took cover anywhere they could. Ginny looked quickly to the seat in the back of the room where Tom had been, but no one was there. In fact, there was no evidence that anyone had sat in that seat in a long time.

"CLASS DISMISSED." Snape roared over the commotion.

Slytherin and Gryffindor 6th years all rushed the door in an attempt to get out without being grazed by the boiling, blue slime exploding from Ginny and Colin's cauldron. Colin and Ginny crawled through the maze of chair legs until it was safe to stand and make a run for it.

"NOT YOU, MISS WEASLEY!" Snape bellowed as he saw her attempting to make an escape.

Ginny stood in the doorway, wringing her hands nervously. Her cauldron stopped spewing boiling slime everywhere and now made a quiet gurgling noise. Everything in the room was covered in blue slime. Many of the students had fled without taking their slime covered supplies.

"Miss Weasley," Snape said sternly. "What just happened?"

"Uhh… well… my cauldron… it seemed to explode, sir." Ginny replied anxiously.

"Why did it explode, Miss Weasley?"

"I… I dropped more than two ounces at a time into the cauldron."

"Why did you fail to follow the instructions, Miss Weasley?"

Ginny's eyes darted around nervously, "I lost my concentration, sir."

"You weren't paying attention." Snape growled.

"No! I just lost my concentration!"

"You were not paying attention, Miss Weasley. Twenty points from Gryffindor and detention Friday night." Snape took a seat behind his desk and began grading papers.

Ginny's mouth dropped open, "That isn't fair!"

Snape's attention focused on Ginny, his eyes narrowed. "Five more points from Gryffindor. Good day, Miss Weasley."

The rest of the week seemed to drag on for Ginny Weasley. She was unusually quiet during classes and meals. At dinner on Friday Ginny reflected over the weeks events. She hadn't had any more visions of Tom since her potions episode, but he was still there in her dreams.

'_I think I am losing my mind…'_ Ginny put her head in her hands.

Hermione had noticed Ginny's change in attitude over the week. "Are you okay, Gin?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You seem really distant and upset, anything you want to talk about?"

Ginny looked into Hermione's concerned eyes, "I'm fine, really." She forced a smile.

Hermione smiled back, but Ginny knew she saw right through her.

"Don't you have detention tonight, Ginny?" Ron asked through his mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"OH MY GOD!" Ginny jumped up, shaking the table and startling everyone around her. "I'm going to be late!" She grabbed her messenger bag and sprinted from the Great Hall.

Ginny glanced at her muggle watch, it had been a gift from Hermione for Christmas, and she had exactly seven minutes to make it down to the dungeons. If she ran the whole way, she might make it. The last thing she wanted was a detention for being late to her detention. Ginny skidded to a halt in front of the cathedral size, cherry wood door. She looked at her watch and smiled.

'_Right on time!' _

* * *

**I love reviews!**

I really do! I am holding the next chapter hostage until I get _**at least** **10 reviews**_! Mwahahahahahahahaha!


	5. Something is very, very wrong here

A/N – I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I had my term paper to do for English and I turned it in on the 15th. I am so glad that is over! WHEW! Anyway, hope you all like this chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys make me so happy!

Oh – here is a quick timeline to this story. I'm going by the publication date of CoS (which was in 1998). So... Ginny's first school year was from 1998-1999. Which means that the Chamber was opened in 1948, when Tom was sixteen. Ginny's sixth year (the year this story takes place) would be from 2003 – 2004. Just so everyone follows! OK! Now onto the story!

* * *

"OH MY GOD!" Ginny jumped up, shaking the table and startling everyone around her. "I'm going to be late!" She grabbed her messenger bag and sprinted from the Great Hall. 

Ginny glanced at her muggle watch, it had been a gift from Hermione for Christmas, and she had exactly seven minutes to make it down to the dungeons. If she ran the whole way, she might make it. The last thing she wanted was a detention for being late to her detention. Ginny skidded to a halt in front of the cathedral size, cherry wood door. She looked at her watch and smiled.

'_Right on time!' _

* * *

**Chapter 4

* * *

**

I stuck around St. Petersburg  
When I saw it was a time for a change  
I killed the Tzar and his ministers  
Anastasia screamed in vain

* * *

The large door to the dungeon classroom wailed in agony as Ginny pushed it open slowly. She poked her head into the classroom.

"Professor?"

No one answered. Ginny entered and looked around. Snape did not appear to be back from dinner yet.

"How curious… Snape is always on time." Ginny spoke aloud to herself.

She placed her bag gently on the table. All the slime had been cleaned up days ago, but the room still reeked with its stench that had failed to dissipate. What now? It was extremely unlike Snape to be late for a detention he had given out with such mirth. The dungeons were unusually dark, but a glimmer of light caught Ginny's eye in the back of the room. Hidden in the shadows was the same chair she had envisioned Tom Riddle sitting in so inconspicuously. She wandered over to the chair. It was just a normal chair. Reluctantly, Ginny reached out and brushed her hand over the rough wood. It was covered in layers of dust. She surely had imagined him sitting there, it would be impossible for such an amount of dust to acquire over a few days. Convinced that the chair was nothing out of the ordinary, and that perhaps she should see Madame Pomfrey about her lack of sanity, Ginny turned confidently from the chair and was about to walk back to her bag, when the same glimmer of light caught her attention. Frustrated, Ginny marched back to the chair. The glimmer had disappeared again. She tapped her foot impatiently, unsure of what to do. In one swift movement she brushed the inch and a half of dust from the seat of the chair.

"OUCH!" Ginny yelped and pulled her hand back. Something had burned her.

There, on the corner of the seat of the chair, a snake was carved delicately. It glowed lightly and suspiciously. Ginny cradled her hand close to her. She pulled it away and blew on the spot that burned lightly, while glaring menacingly at the initials. She glanced at her hand; TMR was forming from her burn.

"No…" Ginny closed her eyes tight and re-opened them. The snake was getting clearer.

At that moment the dungeon door swung open and Snape stalked in looking positively murderous. He slumped down into his leather chair, unaware of Ginny's startled presence, and muttered incoherently.

"Professor?" Ginny called out timidly.

Snape's eyes shot forward and bore into Ginny.

"What are you doing here?" He snapped.

Ginny was stunned, first he was late and then he forgot? "I'm here to serve my detention."

Snape blanched for a moment, "Oh. Yes. See that bucket over there?" He motioned to a thoroughly disgusting looking tin pail. "You are to scrub all the tables and chairs."

Ginny pursed her lips into a line; this was not exactly what she had been expecting. Her last few detentions with Snape had involved attempting the previously failed potion. She would have preferred that to scrubbing the bedraggled tables. Snape went to work grading papers and occasionally glanced up to make sure Ginny wasn't using magic to perform her task. The mark on her hand was showing crystal clear now, almost like a branding.

"Professor?" Ginny called out.

Snape glared at her, "What is it, Miss Weasley?"

"Well… I was just wondering… did you know that the chair just over there has…" Ginny trailed off, unsure of how to put it. "I just think you might want to take a look at it, sir."

"Heavens, Weasley, does it have a spider on it? For God's sake!" Snape marched over to the chair, past Ginny, and stared at it for a few moments.

Without turning around, Snape spoke gravely. "Have you touched this chair, Miss Weasley?"

Ginny wrung her hands, nervously stuffing the branded one into her pocket. "No."

"I think you're telling me a lie. I can see that a hand has wiped the dust from the seat." Snape rounded on her. "Let me see your hands."

"No." Her own reply stunned her a bit; she had never talked back to a teacher before. Her voice sounded slightly different to her own ears.

"Yes." Snape growled.

"No!" Ginny shot back.

"You will let me see your hands. That is an order!"

Ginny made no move to comply and Snape grabbed her wrists roughly, pulling her hidden hand from her pocket. She had balled both her small hands into tiny fists.

"LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS!" Snape roared.

His strength overcame Ginny and she had no choice but to give in as he pried her fists open. He surveyed her palms and found no trace of anything. Ginny was shocked to see that the marking on her hand had disappeared. It had been so vivid only moments ago. His deep brown, almost black, eyes bore right into her flesh.

He spoke quietly, "You are dismissed."

Ginny yanked her wrists free and hurriedly exited the classroom. She ran through the dark hallways on her way to the portrait hole, there were very few people in the halls at that time of night and she had no worries about running into anyone.

"Apostate!" Ginny shouted at the Fat Lady.

She was busy primping and made no move to open.

"Apostate." Ginny declared impatiently.

She still made no move.

Ginny slammed her fist on the wall, "Damn it! OPEN UP!"

The Fat Lady closed her compact and it emitted a small poof of powder. "Now, is that anyway to speak to your elders? Try saying it nicely and maybe I'll let you in."

"Apostate," Ginny cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice.

The Fat Lady clapped her hands together, "thank you!"

She swung open and Ginny wriggled through the portrait hole. The Common Room was almost deserted except for Hermione and Ron who had fallen asleep together on the large, red velvet sofa near the fire. Ginny smiled at how cute they were. She slowly crept up the staircase to the 6th year girls dorms, and winced at the eighth step. It always creaked ridiculously loud. She could always tell if someone was sneaking in late because of that step. Ginny flopped onto her bed and pulled the curtains closed.

She glanced at her palm and still saw nothing there. It was so confusing. What had happened in Snape's classroom? She had never spoken to anyone, especially a teacher, in such a rude manner. Ginny leaned back on her pillow and it felt warm. Perplexed, she lifted it up. Tom's diary was still there, but surely it was not causing her pillow to be warm? Ginny picked it up gently and it seemed to come alive with her touch, almost humming in her hands.

'_What harm could it do?'_ She asked herself.

Ginny opened the humming book and took out her quill. She dipped it in the ink and, before she could changer her mind, scribbled a quick sentence.

_Hello. Is anyone there?_

The ink sunk into the page and reappeared moments later in beautiful, scrawling handwriting.

_I'm here! May I inquire as to whom is writing in my diary?_

Ginny chewed on the end of her quill. Should she give her name? No, she quickly thought of an alias for herself, one she would not forget, she decided on her middle name.

_My name is Wilhelmina. What is your name?_

_I'm Thomas M. Riddle. Please, call me Tom. Your name is beautiful, almost poetic. _

Ginny felt herself blush, despite her worries. Another sentence crept from under the page.

_I'm so glad someone found this diary. I get so lonely with no one to talk with. I think we're going to be the best of friends! _

It was almost like a surreal replay of her first year. He was saying almost the exact same things to her. But, this time, she was not fooled.

_I'm sure we will be! I go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Have you ever heard of it?_

His reply came quickly.

_Yes! I'm here right now! But not in your time. It is 1948 where I am. What year are you in?_

He obviously had no recollection of their first correspondence.

_I'm in 2003._ Ginny replied shortly.

_That is so brilliant! I'm surprised my magic stood the test of time. I have to admit I wasn't sure if it would. What year of schooling are you in? I'm in my sixth year. _

_That's what year I'm in, too. _Ginny scribbled quickly, _It has been very nice talking to you, Tom. I am going to sleep now. I have my hardest class tomorrow morning. _

She turned and grabbed a tissue from her nightstand to wipe her quill dry. Another sentence bubbled from under the pages.

_It's been nice talking to you, too. I've missed **my **little angel, very, very much. _

The words dissipated into the page quickly, before Ginny had a chance to see them. She closed the diary gently and placed it under her pillow while grinning mischievously.

'_Soon, I'll gain his trust and have him right where I want him, then I'll stop him from ever becoming what he is now. Harry will have his parents back, Neville's parents won't be insane, and Sirius… he'll still be alive.' _

With that pleasant thought, Ginny drifted off into dreamless sleep.

* * *

In another part of the castle, Snape was pacing back and forth in his classroom. Dumbledore sat serenely behind Snape's desk. 

"Something is wrong here. Something is very, very wrong." He said sternly.

"Severus, not to be rude, but I do think you're overreacting. I'm sure Miss Weasley had a bad night and that was the cause of her outburst towards you." Dumbledore stated logically.

Snape was not convinced. "No, Albus. You should have heard her voice. I've never heard that tone in a student's voice ever… I never expected to hear it coming from the likes of Ginevra Weasley. Something about it unnerves me. It's almost like it wasn't the same person for a moment and then a split second later she was fine."

"Teenaged girls are prone to mood swings." Dumbledore reasoned.

Snape rounded on him. "Look at this chair." He pulled the dust laden chair up to Dumbledore. He pointed a long, crooked finger at the snake carving. "Do you see that?"

Dumbledore examined the carving. "Severus, any Slytherin student could have carved that in there as a form of house pride."

"Oh, really? Well, then, I suppose it's a coincidence that the snake carved into that chair bears a striking resemblance to this?" Snape pulled his sleeve up to his elbow to reveal the Dark Mark. The snake carved on the chair seemed to be a primitive version of the snake emerging from the skull's mouth on Snape's arm.

An unreadable expression crossed Dumbledore's face. "Miss Weasley touched this chair, you said?"

Snape nodded.

"There was no marking on her hand?"

"None." Snape replied.

Dumbledore was quiet for a moment, "I don't believe we have anything to worry about, Severus. We'll just keep a close eye on Miss Weasley. Voldemort may be trying to use her again as a mean of gaining back his power. Goodnight, Severus."

"Night, Albus."

* * *

Voldemort awoke with a start. His snake like red eyes scanned the room for any sign of Wormtail and found him asleep on the floor near the door. Voldemort walked over to him and kicked him in the ribs. 

"Get up you vile piece of shit!"

Wormtail scurried awake and crawled across the floor clutching his ribs.

"Get me Bellatrix Lestrange. Now."

Wormtail half ran and half crawled out of the room.

Voldemort reclined in his antique chair. The fabric on the right arm of the chair was torn and some stuffing was beginning to show. Impatient, he stood and walked over to the cracked mirror. His snakelike face appeared even more distorted in the broken pieces, but something was different. He stared hard at himself and noticed his eyes had a tint of blue to them. Perplexed, he leaned closer to the mirror; sure it was the light and shadows playing on his eyes.

A meek knock grabbed his attention. A disheveled Bellatrix stood in the doorway. Voldemort straightened up.

"Bellatrix," he said coldly. "Sit down." It wasn't an invitation, but more of an order. She sat instantly on a small bench.

"Have you made any progress in finding my diary?"

"Well, no, my Lord. I'm afraid I have not. However, I have many agents out searching as we speak. It's only a matter of time…" Bellatrix kept her cool physically, but her voice betrayed how nervous she was. The last thing she wanted to do was displease her master.

"I have located it. There is no need to look for it, I have my own idea. I should have known that if I wanted something done right I should have done it myself. Now leave my presence, before I change my mind… and kill you." Voldemort said softly.

* * *

The weeks flew by and before anyone knew it, it was November already. Christmas was creeping up so fast. Ginny had continued to write in the diary. Her relationship with Tom grew and flourished. She found that he still played the same games. He was as charming as a snake and always knew what to say and when to say it. Still, Ginny was not the naïve eleven year old girl she had been, and played his game with skill. She was almost sure she was having an effect on his psychosis. The secret remained her own, though she desperately wanted to tell Hermione. Hermione had been a nutcase recently with all her schoolwork and Ginny had barely found time to pull her away from her studies long enough to talk to her. It was just a lazy Saturday afternoon. 

"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny greeted Hermione as she rushed down the stairs. "Where are you going?"

Hermione hurriedly stuffed her books into her messenger bag. "I'm late for my arithmancy tutoring session!"

Ginny was astounded. "Hermione! Why on earth would you need tutoring for anything?"

"It's not for me! I'm helping out a group of fourth year Ravenclaw's who are in danger of failing. I've got to run! Catch you at dinner!"

Before Ginny could even say goodbye Hermione had rushed out of the portrait hole.

"She's got so much going on… I wish she would make some time for her friends. I feel like she doesn't even listen to me anymore." Ginny sighed.

"Mmm hmm." Ron nodded.

"Not like you listen to me either!" Ginny huffed.

"Hey, isn't that Hermione's time turner?" Ron pointed to a tiny hourglass lying on the floor.

"Yes, it is." Ginny snapped. She hated to be ignored. She picked it up gently and put the chain around her neck.

"I think Hermione needs that…" Ron trailed off.

"So… go take it to her." Ginny said.

"Nah, if she needs it she'll come back."

"Ron," Ginny started, "she doesn't even realize she left it." Ron stared at her blankly. "Oh, never mind! I'll take it to her."

Ginny sprinted out of the common room.

"Ginny? Where are you going?" Harry called out as she sped past.

"I've got to catch Hermione and give her the time turner!" Ginny glanced over her shoulder quickly.

She turned her attention back to her path and ran right into Colin Creevy. The load of books Colin was carrying flew everywhere. Ginny and Colin both tumbled down the stairs. As Ginny tumbled, the sands in the time turner slid back and forth. The world around Ginny began to spin, but she couldn't tell the difference as she continued to somersault down the stairs. She finally landed at the bottom of the stairs with a loud thud. Ginny lay there in shock when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her up.

"Are you alright?" A tall, blonde boy, about 17, pulled Ginny into a standing position. "What on earth were you running so fast for?"

"I'm fine. I just needed to give Hermione her time turner. Have you seen her?"

"I'm afraid I don't know who you're speaking of." The boy replied.

Ginny was shocked; everyone in school knew who Hermione was! "Surely you know Hermione! Hermione Granger."

"No, I'm afraid not." The boy replied.

"Well, have you seen Harry around?"

The boy continued to look perplexed, "Harry who?"

"Harry Potter!" Ginny was stunned.

"Sorry, love, I've never heard of him."

That's when Ginny realized something was very, _**very**_ wrong.

* * *

Hope you all like it! I'll try to update quicker than last time! Reviews make me smile! (But heaven forbid I should joke about holding a chapter hostage for reviews… some people don't find it amusing…) 


	6. Glass, Sand, and Blood

**Authors Note –** This one took forever to write, first I had a severe case of writers block and then softball started (my team won the county championship!), then my band went to Boston, then field hockey started, and then finals were upon me in full force! Craziness I tell you! Well, here it is! Chapter 5! Enjoy!

* * *

_**Pleased to meet you**_

_**Hope you guess my name**_

_**But what's puzzling you**_

_**Is the nature of my game

* * *

**_

She turned her attention back to her path and ran right into Colin Creevy. The load of books Colin was carrying flew everywhere. Ginny and Colin both tumbled down the stairs. As Ginny tumbled, the sands in the time turner slid back and forth. The world around Ginny began to spin, but she couldn't tell the difference as she continued to somersault down the stairs. She finally landed at the bottom of the stairs with a loud thud. Ginny lay there in shock when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her up.

"Are you alright?" A tall, blonde boy, about 17, pulled Ginny into a standing position. "What on earth were you running so fast for?"

"I'm fine. I just needed to give Hermione her time turner. Have you seen her?"

"I'm afraid I don't know who you're speaking of." The boy replied.

Ginny was shocked; everyone in school knew who Hermione was! "Surely you know Hermione! Hermione Granger."

"No, I'm afraid not." The boy replied.

"Well, have you seen Harry around?"

The boy continued to look perplexed, "Harry who?"

"Harry Potter!" Ginny was stunned.

"Sorry, love, I've never heard of him."

That's when Ginny realized something was very, very wrong.

* * *

**Chapter 5

* * *

**

Harry was on his way back to the common room when a burst of red blazed by him.

"Ginny? Where are you going?" He called after her.

Ginny glanced over her shoulder and shouted something, but it was distorted by the stone walls and other conversations going on in the hallway.

Colin Creevy could be seen walking into sight and Ginny had not even noticed.

"GINNY! LOOK OUT!" Harry yelled, but he was sure she had not heard him for moments later they collided and flew out of sight down the stairs.

Harry rushed to the edge of the staircase. Ginny and Colin were tumbling down the stairs in a hurricane of flailing body parts and books. Something odd was happening. Ginny was becoming more and more transparent with each tumble. Within seconds the scene was over as Colin landed at the bottom of the stairs along with his books, but Ginny was no where to be seen. There was no sign that Ginny had even been involved in the ruckus, except a few small spots of blood at the foot of the stairs where she might have landed.

* * *

Ginny was on the verge of hyperventilating. She sat down on the edge of the stairs and put her head in her hands. A wet, warm sensation touched her skin and she pulled her hands back in surprise, in her hand was Hermione's Time Turner. Broken into many little sparkling shards, and mixed with sand and blood. 

"Oh… no…" Ginny's chestnut eyes welled with tears.

"You're bleeding!" The boy grabbed her hand and looked closely at her cut. He took out a handkerchief embroidered with the Ravenclaw emblem and wrapped it tightly around her palm to slow the bleeding. "Let me take you to the infirmary."

Everything was happening in a daze, everything was so awfully wrong. Not only was Ginny in a time frame that she could not identify, but she had no way of getting home because her fall had crushed the Time Turner. Miserably, she let her unknown rescuer lead her to the infirmary.

"Here we are." The boy pushed the door open and led Ginny in.

It looked just like it did in her time, except there was an absence of Madame Pomfrey roaming about and the usual students who frequented the infirmary.

A middle age woman bustled up to Ginny.

"May I help you dear?"

"I… I just need something for my hand, and I have a nasty headache. I took a bad spill down the stairs…"

The witch whipped out her wand and in moments had healed the cut and zapped Ginny's headache into oblivion. Ginny was waiting for the nurse to turn her back so she could make a hasty exit. The opportunity arrived and Ginny quickly and silently made her way towards the door. The large, oak door creaked slightly as she opened it.

"Wait just a minute!"

Ginny froze.

"I need your name, age, and House, dearie. For my records sake."

Ginny blanched, "Oh… well… my name is… Wilhelmina. Wilhelmina DuBoir."

"What House are you in?"

"I'm not assigned yet, I just got here… and I was waiting to be sorted." Ginny said nervously.

The Nurse eyed her a bit suspiciously, Ginny tensed even further under her gaze.

"Hmmm… very well. Paul?" The blonde boy turned upon hearing his name. "Please escort Ms. DuBoir to the Headmaster's office."

Paul nodded and Ginny followed him out the door.

* * *

Colin sat up in a daze, "What the hell just happened?" He rubbed his head, "Where is Ginny?" 

Harry bounded down the stairs, two at a time. He pulled Colin up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Where did Ginny go!" Colin looked around frantically.

A small crowd had gathered and all who had witnessed the fall looked on in bewilderment. Colin scurried to pick up his books and Harry helped. He knelt down to pick up a rather dusty book when he noticed the tiny blood droplets and slivers of glass.

"Colin! Come look at this…"

Colin sat his books down on the stairs and knelt next to Harry.

"Are you bleeding?" Harry asked Colin.

"No… where did that glass come from? My glasses aren't broken, are they?"

Harry glanced over. Colin's glasses were intact.

"No." Harry whispered. "They're not broken…"

"Let me through! Why is everyone just standing around!" Professor Snape broke through the crowd of curious onlookers and strode towards Harry and Colin.

"What is going on here?" Snape hissed. "Loitering, again, are we Potter?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Colin just took a bit of a bad spill down the stairs. I'm helping him get his books together."

"Five points from Gryffindor for causing a commotion in the halls. Each." Snape said maliciously.

"That's not fair!" Harry shot back.

The evil smirk widened, "Ten."

Harry opened his mouth but Colin nudged him hard in the ribs.

"I expect to find this hallway empty when I return in five minutes." Snape flipped his robe around him and swished away, pushing a line of first years in the process.

The crowd slowly disintegrated as Hermione appeared.

"Harry? Have you seen Ginny? I was just in the common room and Ron told me she had gone looking for me. I need my time turner to—"

Harry whirled around, "Your… what?"

"My time turner…" Hermione repeated.

Harry bent down and examined the small pile of glass shards carefully. Small, tiny grains of sand could be seen mixed between the glass and blood.

"Oh… shit…"

* * *

'_This is all a bad dream. I'm going to wake up and be late for potions and the worst thing that will happen is a detention with Snape…'_ Ginny kept thinking to herself, but the more she thought it, the more it felt like a lie.

Ginny and Paul reached the large phoenix statue which she had seen so many times before.

"Stupendia." Paul whispered.

The large statue began to revolve revealing the glimmering golden staircase. Perhaps she wasn't in a time too distant from her own. She could only hope, yet fear gripped her body and made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. As Paul pushed the large oak door open Ginny's stomach was somersaulting in agony.

"Headmaster?" Paul asked.

A wizened, frail looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of silver hair, peered up at Paul with tired eyes. "Can I help you, Mr. Jenston?"

Paul cleared his throat, "Sir, Madame Darlinie requested that I bring Ms. DuBoir to see you to be sorted. She was on her way here but took a bit of a nasty spill down the stairs and was in need of some quick healing spells."

"Thank you for escorting her here, you may return to class now." The old wizard replied kindly.

Paul nodded to him, waved bye to Ginny, and left the room quickly.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Ms. DuBoir. I'm Headmaster Dippet."

He continued to speak but Ginny's mind was whirling at a thousand miles an hour. Had he said Dippet? Why did that name sound so awfully familiar?

"Ms. DuBoir?"

Ginny snapped back to reality, "Oh, so sorry. Yes?"

"I was just wondering if perhaps your parents had accompanied you?"

Ginny was a bit worried, "No."

"Do you have any transcripts from the previous school you attended?"

Ginny was starting to panic.

"Well, you see…" She thought hard for a reasonable explanation that would cover any future questions he might have. "I don't have any… when our home burnt down I lost _everything_…"

Dippet looked genuinely sympathetic towards her. "You poor girl! No worries, it will all be taken care of. Just have a seat right here while I fetch the Sorting Hat. Classes have only been in session a short time. You should have no trouble catching up." Dippet continued talking as he rummaged through a drawer in his spacious desk. "A-ha!"

He produced the same tattered and torn Sorting Hat that Ginny remembered from her first year, and placed it on her head delicately.

_**Ahhhhh let's see. A Weasley? Again? Ah, but a Weasley in disguise. This is simple enough for me…**_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Headmaster Dippet clapped his hands together in delight. "Perfect! I'm sure you passed the Great Hall on the way in?"

Ginny nodded.

"Do you think you could find it again?"

Ginny nodded and made her way out of the door.

* * *

Harry stared blankly at the pile of glass, sand, and blood on the floor. 

"Harry?" Hermione put her hand on his shoulder. "What on earth is wrong?"

"I… I think I know what happened to Ginny. We've got to see Dumbledore, quickly."

Harry, Colin, and Hermione hurried to Dumbledore's office.

"Harry! I don't understand. What do you mean you know what happened to Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Ginny was bringing your time turner to you, right?" Without waiting for an answer Harry continued, "I was in the hallway and saw Ginny rush by me. Ginny ran right into Colin and they tumbled down the stairs. They _tumbled _down the stairs…"

Hermione stared blankly.

"Hermione. Ginny had your time turner in her hand, and she tumbled down the stairs. What happens when you tumble?" Harry asked.

"Whatever you have tumbles with you… the time turner tumbled too. Oh my God… the sands shifted." Hermione looked absolutely mortified.

"The blood." Colin whispered.

Harry and Hermione turned to look at him.

"The blood at the bottom of the stairs, it was right next to the shards of glass and the bit of sand. The time turner, it broke in the fall. Probably in Ginny's hand…"

* * *

It was still early; Ginny would be making it to the Great Hall just in time for lunch. Lunch with a group of strangers she didn't know. How was she going to explain her presence? She practiced her greeting like a broken record. 'Hi. I'm Wilhelmina DuBoir, I'm new here and I've just been sorted into Gryffindor. It's very nice to meet you all.' 

No matter how many times she repeated it in her head it still sounded stupid. Bumbling and stupid. Just like her.

Lunch was in full swing, no one even noticed her enter the Great Hall. Ginny silently walked to the end of the Gryffindor table and sat down. A hush fell over the table as everyone observed the stranger at their table who had not introduced herself and was not looking at anyone.

"Excuse me?"

Ginny glanced up to see a boy that greatly resembled Harry speaking to her. He had sandy blonde hair that flopped around in the same unruly mass Ginny had seen so many times on Harry, and vivid brown eyes. He had to be related to Harry.

"Are you new?" The boy inquired.

"Yes." Ginny's voice came out as a barely audible whisper.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that."

"Yes." Ginny spoke up.

"I'm Daniel Potter." Daniel slid down the bench until he was right next to Ginny. "Who are you?"

By now the entire Gryffindor table was watching her. Ginny smiled nervously. "I'm Wilhelmina DuBoir, but you can call me Mina."

"Well, Mina," Daniel offered his hand, Ginny shook it. "It's very nice to meet you. Welcome to Hogwarts."

A ruckus erupted in the Great Hall as a group of screaming girls rushed in. They were surrounding a tall boy with wavy, shoulder length black hair and deep green eyes. The boy fended them off and made his way towards where Ginny and Daniel were sitting.

"Hey, Al." Dan greeted the boy.

He was very handsome, Ginny observed, he reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on who.

"Hey Dan, so I was thinkin' that maybe later we could sneak out and—" Al stopped in mid-sentence, realizing that Ginny was there.

"Well, and who might this charming young lady be?"

Dan grinned, "This is Mina DuBoir, she's new."

Al reached down and grasped Ginny's hand, "The pleasure is all mine, mademoiselle." He kissed her hand lightly and Ginny giggled.

Dan rolled his eyes, "Mina, this is Alphard Black."

Ginny let out a small gasp, Alphard Black! Sirius' uncle! She remembered now! Al smiled at her with the same smile she remembered Sirius to have and his eyes smiled kindly at her and almost made her cry when she thought of Sirius' death.

"I assume that was your fan club that followed you in?" Ginny smiled at Al.

Al grinned, "Oh, yes I suppose so, they just can't resist me, ya know?" He winked at her and chuckled.

"What year are you in?" Dan asked.

"Oh, I'm a sixth year." Ginny smiled at them. She was so lucky to have gone back in time and met Harry and Sirius' relatives, she couldn't be that far back because she remembered Sirius mentioning Alphard when he was talking to her about the family tree that hung on the wall in his home.

"We're sixth years too!" Dan exclaimed.

Alphard was leaning back in his chair with his feet on the table, "Damn owls, always late. I want my paper!"

"The Daily Prophet," Dan rolled his eyes, "The owls that deliver the papers are never on time, and they come at the most inopportune moments. Last time my paper ended up in my nice, big bowl of tomato soup."

Almost immediately after Dan had finished his sentence the sound of flapping wings could be heard getting gradually louder. Hundreds of owls swooped into the Great Hall and dropped newspapers like small bombs. Dan caught his while Al's paper hit him right on the head. A lost paper landed next to Ginny on the table and she picked it up nonchalantly. Her eyes scanned the headlines for anything interesting to read, but it wasn't a large headline that caught her eye. It was a very small date printed in the upper right hand corner.

_**12 September, 1948**_

Ginny's eyes widened to the size of saucers. A light tap on her shoulder brought her out of her shock.

"Excuse me."

Ginny glanced over her shoulder; a tall boy was addressing her.

"I believe you have my paper."

Ginny jumped up, "Oh! I'm so sorry! It just kind of landed next to me, I thought it was an extra—"

If she thought that the date had been the biggest shock of the day, she was sorely mistaken. For there, standing in front of her, was the man who had haunted her dreams for so many years. Tom Riddle stared into her wide chestnut eyes. He was living, breathing, and just as devilishly handsome as he had been when she first met him and Ginny was _petrified_.

* * *

Hope you all like it! Reviews make me smiiiillllleee! 


	7. Something of a divine nature

**Authors Note:** Wow, this update has been a long time coming. Life has been kind of hectic. I'm (finally) a big bad senior in high school. My field hockey season kicked some serious ass and I am getting mail out the ass from college coaches. Hopefully a full ride is in order? This chapter is dedicated to my **Pop Pop Joe**. I know you wanted to make it until my graduation, but I understand that you had to go. I miss you more than words can say, and I won't let you down. This one's for you.

* * *

"The Daily Prophet," Dan rolled his eyes, "The owls that deliver the papers are never on time, and they come at the most inopportune moments. Last time my paper ended up in my nice, big bowl of tomato soup." 

Almost immediately after Dan had finished his sentence the sound of flapping wings could be heard getting gradually louder. Hundreds of owls swooped into the Great Hall and dropped newspapers like small bombs. Dan caught his while Al's paper hit him right on the head. A lost paper landed next to Ginny on the table and she picked it up nonchalantly. Her eyes scanned the headlines for anything interesting to read, but it wasn't a large headline that caught her eye. It was a very small date printed in the upper right hand corner.

_**12 September, 1948**_

Ginny's eyes widened to the size of saucers. A light tap on her shoulder brought her out of her shock.

"Excuse me."

Ginny glanced over her shoulder; a tall boy was addressing her.

"I believe you have my paper."

Ginny jumped up, "Oh! I'm so sorry! It just kind of landed next to me; I thought it was an extra—"

If she thought that the date had been the biggest shock of the day, she was sorely mistaken. For there, standing in front of her, was the man who had haunted her dreams for so many years. Tom Riddle stared into her wide chestnut eyes. He was living, breathing, and just as devilishly handsome as he had been when she first met him and Ginny was _petrified_.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**

* * *

**Ginny looked like a deer caught in headlights. She wasn't moving, and she didn't even appear to be breathing. Tom looked perplexed and irate. 

"Could I please have my paper?"

Ginny snapped back to reality, "Oh… yes, so sorry." Her hands shook so tremendously as she reached out to give The Daily Prophet to Tom that she dropped it midway and the sections scattered over the polished wood floor. "Oh God! Sorry, I'm sorry. So sorry!"

"It's alright." Tom said sternly.

He bent to pick his papers up, and Ginny stared on in complete shock. It was unnerving to see Tom Riddle, the evilest wizard of the century, bent before her picking up the sections of his paper as if he was just an ordinary being. Al let out a small cough that startled Ginny out of her reverie. He looked at her peculiarly. Dan was shooting a nasty glare at Tom who was finishing piecing his paper back together and stood.

"I'm so sorry." Ginny squeaked again. She did not want to get on his bad side this soon.

"It's fine." He said to Ginny, then, "What are you looking at, Potter?"

"Nothing of any striking importance, I dare say." Dan shot back with hostility.

Tom smiled coldly sending shivers up Ginny's spine, "That's what I thought." He sauntered off back to the Slytherin table where anxious eyes had watched the whole scene.

Ginny watched him go and noticed an extremely familiar face at the Slytherin table. A much younger Lucius Malfoy stared at Ginny with a burning gaze. That might have bothered Ginny had she not been so absolutely shocked at how much Draco resembled him; and at the realization of just how old he is in her time.

"Mina?" Dan asked her. "Do you know him?" He motioned towards Lucius.

"Oh!" Ginny blushed. "No, I just know someone who looks a lot like him where I came from."

"Those Slytherins over there are downright nasty people." Al started in, "And that Tom Riddle, he's the worst."

Ginny realized she needed to feign innocence here and pretend she had no idea who Tom Riddle was, "Which one is Tom Riddle?"

"He's the one who came over here demanding his paper. He's one bloody little bastard I tell you. Thinks the entire world owes him something because of his bad childhood or something like that. Complete madness I tell you, but all of the teachers are so hoodwinked by him... it's rather annoying…" Al was cut off by Dan.

"You mean all of the teachers except Dumbledore."

"Well, yea, naturally. I don't think Dumbledore could be hoodwinked by anyone." Al corrected himself.

"Albus Dumbledore!" Ginny exclaimed with excitement before she could stop herself.

Al looked perplexed, "Yes, how do you know him?"

"Oh, it's just that my parents always spoke of him and how great he was. I've wanted to meet him for a long time. That's all." Ginny said without missing a beat.

"Well, you'll get to; hopefully you're in our classes. What is your schedule, by the way?" Dan asked.

Ginny rummaged through her messenger bag for the schedule Dippet had given her and handed it to Dan.

"Yea, it looks like we have every class together!" Dan exclaimed.

Ginny couldn't help but smile, he was already reminding her of Harry. "So, what's first?" She asked.

The smile was replaced with a grimace on Dan's handsome face, "Double potions with the Slytherins."

Ginny sighed as Dan handed her schedule back to her and couldn't help but wonder if there was some Hogwarts rule that said the Gryffindors _must_ be subjected to the torture that is double potions with the Slytherins first thing in the morning, every year.

* * *

Back in 2003, a very freaked out Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Colin were dashing to Dumbledore's office. 

"LEMON DROPS!" Harry all but screamed at the Phoenix statue.

The Phoenix began to move and the quartet ran up the stairs almost faster than they were appearing. Dumbledore's desk was littered with parchment and he was bent over them in concentration. He looked up and peered at the quartet over his half moon spectacles.

"Professor…" Harry was breathing heavily from running so much. Hermione was crying. Ron looked as though he wanted to punch something, and Colin just looked confused.

Dumbledore looked concerned at the group in front of him, "Harry, what on earth is going on?"

"It's Ginny. She's gone back in time. Hermione left her time turner in the common room and Ginny was running to catch up with her, she had the necklace around her neck and ran into Colin and tumbled down the stairs. The only things we can find at the bottom of the stairs are glass shards, sand grains, and a few drops of blood. We think… we think it broke in the fall…" Harry trailed off and Hermione sobbed harder.

Dumbledore put the quill and parchment he was holding down and looked at the group seriously. He was quiet for a few minutes and then he spoke quietly. "I'm not going to give this to you with a dose of sugar; Ginny could be in serious danger. We don't even know where she is in time right now, and if the time turner is broken as you think, she might not have a way back for quite some time." Dumbledore looked pained as these words left his lips, "I know you want an answer, to hear that everything will be alright; but this is something I can't do anything about.

Harry's face froze in shock. This couldn't be happening; Dumbledore always had an answer or at least wise knowledge when something awful happened, but this time there wasn't anything. Hermione managed to speak through her tears.

"Professor? How are we going to find her?"

Dumbledore's eyes glazed over. "I'm afraid it's like looking for a needle in a haystack Miss Granger. Ron, would you please stay while I summon your parents. Harry, Hermione, Colin, if you don't mind, a bit of privacy please."

Ron watched the trio go with an unreadable expression on his long face. Dumbledore spoke.

"Sit down, Ron."

Ron sat stiffly in a cushy chair.

Dumbledore pulled out a large and dusty book. He opened it and upon finding the page he was looking for, tapped it lightly with his wand. He promptly closed the book and placed it back under his desk. Within moments Molly and Arthur Weasley were present. Mrs. Weasley immediately honed in on Ron.

"Ronald Weasley! What trouble have you caused now? Why, if you have done anything serious to endanger your completion of this school year I'll—"

"Molly," Dumbledore interrupted her small rampage. "Ron has done nothing wrong. Please, sit down." Mrs. Weasley, although perplexed, sat cautiously in a chair opposite Ron.

"Well," Mr. Weasley cleared his throat, "If Ron has done nothing wrong, then what were we summoned for? Surely Ginny isn't causing any trouble."

"Ginny has done nothing wrong; however, it is Ginny I called you here about." Dumbledore took his glasses off and placed them on his desk. He looked at the Weasleys very gravely.

Mrs. Weasley instantly gripped the arm rest of her chair.

"Ginny is missing. She went to take Hermione Granger her time turner and was in quite a hurry from what I understand. Before she could reach Miss Granger she collided with Colin Creevy and tumbled down the stairs. In the process the sands in the time turner shifted and she was sent back in time. We don't know which time period she may be in, and we suspect that the time turner was crushed in the fall, leaving her with no way to get back."

Mrs. Weasley sat very still; she did not even appear to be breathing. Then, in about two seconds, she went from very calm to hysterical. This was the second time she had been summoned to Dumbledore's office only to be told that Ginny was in danger yet again and she was not taking it well. She rushed over to Ron and held onto him for dear life; as if holding him until his eyes bulged out of his head would make Ginny reappear.

Mr. Weasley gathered his composure and spoke. "How… how are we going to find her?"

"I am going to alert my allies in the past that I maintain a close touch with. I will personally be keeping an eye out for any odd happenings; sudden new memories, odd dreams of memories that were never there before, indicators such as that. The entire Hogwarts staff will be put on alert."

"And the students?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"They will be told the basics – and to come forward if they should experience anything odd that could be of use."

"I want my baby back." Mrs. Weasley spoke, her face pale and her lips trembling.

"We'll find her, Molly." Mr. Weasley embraced her and stroked her hair lightly.

* * *

The usually dreary potions dungeon was a much different place in 1948. The walls lacked the grime Ginny was accustomed to and sunlight actually peeked through the tiny, barred windows. She entered the familiar place with Dan and Al, and took a seat at a round table with them. The Slytherins entered in a large gang, much the same way that the Slytherins Ginny knew did. She couldn't help but wonder if all Slytherins in any decade did this, and if it were some sort of degenerate disease passed down from one Slytherin to the next. Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of a quite large and seemingly very jolly man. 

"Good morning my bright young pupils!" The man boomed.

Al grinned and leaned over to Ginny. "I love this guy! His name is Professor Laivoj. He makes having potions with the Slytherins so much easier."

"I see we have a new face! And a beautiful one at that!" Professor Laivoj smiled. "Please, stand up and give us a small introduction, if you don't mind."

Ginny turned a vivid red, the same shade as her fiery hair, and stood slowly.

"Hello everyone—" She began meekly.

"Do speak up!" Professor Laivoj boomed.

Ginny sighed; public speaking was never her area of proficiency.

"Hello!" She smiled brightly, "I'm Mina DuBoir, and I've just transferred here." Feeling that her small introduction was adequate, she began to sit down.

"That's it?" Professor Laivoj questioned. "You don't have anything interesting about yourself you'd like to share with us?"

Ginny smiled and thought to herself, _"Not unless the fact that I am from the new millennium and this is a complete mistake interests anyone."_ Instead, she stood and offered this as interesting, "I love to play quidditch… I'm a seeker usually. I read, write, and sing quite badly in the shower." She took her seat again and glanced at her new professor, almost expecting him to ask her something else, but the look on his face made her feel quite odd. Almost as if he instantly knew something of her past – or rather – future. He stared at her with a most curious look before beginning the lesson.

When the time came for them to pair up, Professor Laivoj looked directly at Ginny and spoke. "One of my rules in this classroom is that you are not allowed to pair up with anyone from your house." Ginny's heart immediately sank into her stomach. "The point of this is to promote school unity, not simply house unity."

"Yes, sir."

Ginny observed as many Gryffindor students moped around trying to find a suitable Slytherin, all of which were sitting with very hostile body language in their seats across the room. In seconds all of the promising looking candidates had partners, the selection was growing sparse quite fast; and that's when Ginny noticed him. Tom Riddle sat in the back of the potions classroom, partner less and with an unreadable expression on his handsome features. That same immobilizing fear threatened to take Ginny over but she fought it back. He was just another student, and if she wanted to change her time, she needed to get over the fear of just breathing the same air as him. Ginny studied him momentarily and almost recognized the look on his face as the same look a child has when they are picked last for kickball. In that moment, Ginny made up her mind that she was going to take the first step to saving Tom's soul. She picked her books up and marched to the table where Tom was seated in silent agony.

"Would you mind if I was your partner?" She tried to stop her voice from shaking. Dan and Al stared on in shock.

Tom surveyed her with his vivid green eyes. "Not at all," He said without emotion.

Ginny, still shaking slightly, sat down opposite him, with only a cauldron separating them. She opened her book to the page instructed on the board and began reading the directions silently. With the first step memorized, she reached for the ingredients in the middle of the table. Tom saw her movement and pulled them out of her reach swiftly. Ginny looked at him, bewildered.

"Let's get one thing straight. I have good marks in this class; and I would like to keep it that way. So from now on, I will do the work and you can sit there and look pretty." Tom sneered.

Ginny's face hardened and before she could stop it her temper flared. "Well, I'll make sure to write that in a letter, send it to myself, and then toss it out the window once it returns. So, let's get one thing straight. You said you have good marks in this class? Well, I had the highest marks where I came from and I would like to continue that pattern. So here's the happy medium, we'll work together. That is the definition of partner, is it not? Two people who help each other and work on things together. As for sitting here and looking pretty, well, I can assure you that I will not stop being pretty simply because I have a brain to go with it." Ginny smiled politely and snatched the ingredients she had wanted in the first place.

At the next table over, Al and Dan sat with their partners. They had heard the entire exchange and were stunned at Ginny's sharpness and quick wit.

Tom looked less than amused. Ginny wasn't quite sure how to decipher his expression. His face was contorted into a mixture of astonishment and anger that someone would dare speak to him that way and awed that someone would have the nerve to speak to him in such a way. He immediately recognized the fire in Ginny, and was intrigued by it.

"Alright then, duly noted." Ginny looked up at his words, shocked that he was not yelling Advada Kedavra at her already.

Tom reached his hand across the table, "I'm Thomas Marvolo Riddle. Call me Tom."

Ginny stared at his pale, outstretched hand for a moment, unsure of whether or not to shake it.

She grasped his somewhat large hand with her petite fairy hand. "Wilhelmina DuBoir. Call me Mina. Pleased to meet you, and sorry about the paper incident this morning."

Tom shrugged. "My owl does a simply awful job with aiming. It was his mistake. He's old and easily confused. In fact, I'm not sure if he can even see any more."

Ginny was slightly surprised; he was speaking like a normal person. She almost detected a hint of sympathy for the owl in his voice. It was strange and exciting at the same time. At that moment, Ginny knew she was meant to be here, and her tumble down the stairs and the apprehension that followed were only natural, but the situation as a whole, well, it was something of a divine nature.

* * *

I hope you liked it! I looooved writing this chapter, especially this last scene. It's really hard to take a character like Tom Riddle and try to write him as a person with feelings and problems while still keeping that slightly evil aura about him. I hope I'm doing okay so far. I'm not trying to take him completely out of character. 

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

Love you guys!

Eiez


End file.
